1866 Handwritten Diary Jolly Townsend Family Traveling Ink Salesman Westfield PA
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:23753134 | Date of Publication: 1866 |
| Subject: Biography & Autobiography | Material: Paper |
| Original/Facsimile: Original | Region: North America |
| Language: English | Author: Townsend |
WELCOMETO SALLY’S DIARIES: I’vedecided to list this diary with a bit of a mystery behind who itmight be. I have a lot of the clues but don’t have the time tofigure it out so I will leave that to the winning bidder. First offthe diary was written in 1866 and in the front there is aninscription that says, “My father’s diary when in thearmy.” Well that isn’t the case as the author’s entriesdon’t have anything to do with army life but that doesn’t mean heisn’t a Civ...il War Vet. Next, there are entries for every day of the year but some of those entriesjust list a town he is traveling to as he does a lot of travel allover the state of Pennsylvania and New York. When he does write hismore extensive entries they usually take up ½ to most of the page.So here how it lays out. From January 1st to May 26thhe has long entries. Then starting May 27th he just startsputting the name of the town he is in but there are 30 longer days ofentries until December 31st. So all in all there are 176long days of entries out of the 365 represented and the rest are justthe name of the city or another word or two. Hereare the clues I found. He mentions having an Uncle Townsend and anUncle J. J. Jolly and a Cousin Annie Jolly. His parents live inWestfield, Tioga County Pennsylvania. Also living in Westfield is hisUncle James. With all of that I found on the web Margaret Jolly(1797-1877) who married Melkiah Labar Jr. Margaret had a brother bythe name of James J. Jolly, thus the Uncle J. J. Jolly he mentions.Margaret and Melkiah had 10 children and one of those was DeborahLabar who married Uriah Townsend (her second husband). They had threechildren: Erastus P., Alva, and Pricilla. But I hit a roadblock whenI went further but I’m almost sure this is the family. I’vescanned and will include the genealogy I found. Onevery interesting entry is on August 31st, 1866 when hejust writes, “Williamsport PA., Married.” The other veryinteresting thing about our author is that he makes ink and deals inink plates, stencils, printing, etc. He travels around selling it andtrying to find investors. Ido need to tell you also that his spelling is quite poor but to methat only adds to the charm of this diary. I’ve quoted the entriesbelow just as he writes it. Here are a few of those example entries….1866“January2nd, I stade at Potter Co. PA with my brother and I have bin hunting allday and have not had very good luck only to lose my watch some wheirin the woods and it may be found in the spring when the snow goes offas we have marked the trees.” “January10th, I staid to Elkland Tioga Co. at the hotel. I have maid a call on mybrother Daniel this day. I have not seen him for several years. Ifind him well and not much larger than when I saw him before.”(January 11th to 20th he just writes ElmiraNY and then on the 21st he writes that he is at home andat the store)“January25th, I staide to the Troy House for the first last night and had a splendtime here and my business haven’t ben very good hear today. Muchpoorer than any other place that I ever have ben in my life but Ihave had some plesent ours (hours) with the youngladies in the house and they are quite plesent I think to sit downwith and talk with to spend some oures (hours) with themand I have ben having loots (lots) of fun all day and at nightthe boys was howling the jenkins and making a dreadful noys nearlyall night.” (He takes the mail stage to Towanda Pennsylvaniathe next day. On the 1st he is in Trumansburg New Yorkstaying at the Washington House Hotel. Says business is very goodthere. Then it’s on to do business at Elmira, Oswego and BinghamNew York.)“February16th, I stade to the Way Hotel at Bingham N.Y. and I got up this morningand was nearly frozen and it was very cold and I had loots of work todo and it was so cold that it scamed (seemed) as if I shouldnearly freas my fingers and I tended com____ (?) colage(collage?) and was permited to go threw it and canvisthat next time I come hear and I went up town this evening and had apleasant time and it good to be up there again when come hear. I hadto hury to the train.” “March1st, I stade to Oswego and I am having some fine time and at 10 A.M. Istarted for Binghamton and after I got hear I had some plesent timesand had quite good luck saling (selling) inks and pens and Ifound a agent for the plates, Miss Price. Miss Price and she feard totake holt of it as if she ment it and did intend to do something withit. I retired at ½ 9 o’clock. So good night.” (He went tothe Commercial College and presented his goods to the students andgot several orders)“March22nd, I stad to Rochester to the Clinton House. I have had some goodtimes hear today and business has opened prity good. I have gave abookstore the agency hear and I have changed my boarding house and itis the Farmers Hotel and found it quite plesant and I made a call toa Miss Johnson and returned home. Retired at 9 P.M. so good night. Icalled to Miss Johnson’s on Buffalo St.” “March24th, Rochester and I commenced delivering and had good lucktaking orders and I have ben very buisy sence. I have ben hear and itseams as if my inks is giving perfect sadfaction in every respect andhapy to hear as menny speak of this work as being the best they eversaw and I glad to hear such remarks about it. At 3 A.M. I stared forSavnah to make a call on my uncles, ant, cozens and they did not knowme at first but when Annie come to think back she remembered quiteplain and we had a splendid visit. Uncle Jolly is no better ofdeafness than when I was hear before. Retired at 11 P.M. so I bidMiss Annie Jolly goodnight.” (He stays with his family for afew days and then it’s on to Auburn)“April9th, Stade Elmira. I commenced making inks and have ben quite buisy allday and this evening I ben going to set up with Mrs. Up De Graff andmy company is Miss Lorana Hamelton and I have had a plesent timethere but she was some what fritened but I talked to her and she gotso she didn’t mind it and I didn’t get to moment sleep and Ididn’t feel as if I wanted any. I must close so good morning.” “April15th, (He’s in Towanda Pennsylvania). I am stopping at Mr. Keelersand I have found everything all gay hear and I have ben out on a walkthis afternoon and I had a splendid time with some French girls andone of them fell in love with me but I don’t think it will do hereny good and got back in good season and wrote several letters and Iretired at 9 P.M. so good night.” “April24th, I stade to Elmira and have one of the best times on the cars that Iever had in my life. I met with Miss Delia Alice Rooney. It was thefirst time I met her but it was the plestenest pardy that I ever metwith in my life and I antispate of meeting her again. I left her atUnion and bid her goodnight and I maid a call on Boyd and had quite aplesent time there and went and put up to the Major House and retiredat 10 P.M. So good night.” “May26th, Elmira N. Y. Feal gay this morning, quite sore and tired of travling.It seams some times as if it would all most take my life to step. Ihave had to stop walking several times and I made a call on Miss E.Ensworth and I had a plesent time and I retired at ½ 9 P.M. So goodnight.” (June 4th to June 19th he justputs “Elmira” or “Williamsport”)“June21st, Williamsport. I never want better times than I had this evening withM.A.S. and I believe the rest of the party had a good time. I mustsay it was the nearest the one that I have sean suited to my mind forinjoyment.” “July6th, Muncy Pennsylvania. I came hear and found a quite an old place andfound my business all right but it seams not to be growing enny. Itseams to me a lost for rich men to live in a place and then to nothelp build it up….” July30th, Danville PA. I came over hear this morning and found a quite aplesent town and feal quite gay and find that there is very nicerowling mill carried on hear and the best part of the town is up onthe south hill. Market St. has got some quite nice dwellings on itand some of the welthest men in the place lives there. Theinhabetense (inhabitants) is a bought (about) 9500 in polation(population). It is a fine growing burrow and loats a businessdon hear. I feal as if I was goin to start I could make a good morehear.” “August9th, Sunbury PA. I came hear this morning and found my work all right andI like this place quite well at present but it is ____a good dealover the country. It is quite old and is not growing much and NorthUmblin (Northumberland) 2 miles north is dead and has ben fornearly 20 years or more and looks as if it will remain so afew years longer.” (On to Shamokin, Ashland, Mount Carmen, Lewisburg just to say a day or two but describes his thoughts on thetown.)“August31st, Williamsport PA. Married.” “October12th, Sealensgrove Pa. (Selinsgrove) This place is just about2, 000 in habentene (inhabitants) or 2500 and it is quite aplesent town. It pears to be quite a clean place and there is afeamail semmary (female seminary) and a instute(institute) hear. Neather is larg, quite small but quiteplesent locbleties (localities). I haven’t sean nothing verypritty hear yet.” (Spends a good deal of November in CarlislePennsylvania and then in December he heads to Cleveland Ohio)“December2nd, Cleveland O. I got hear this morning about 11 A.M. and I was put inroom 28. This is quite a plesent room for me and I have ben out on astrole this afternoon. I find a quite a plesant place and so I thinkthat this will be my head quarters for the next fore weeks.” That’shis last longer entry other than saying he had a stove put in hisroom. The diary is in good shape other than the back pocket beingtorn. It measures about 4” x 6”.
